Georgian man who refused to leave his partly-occupied house buried behind barbed-wire-fences
People attaching flowers and offering condolences from the other side of the barbed-wire-fence. Photo: RFE/RL.
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Georgian citizen Data Vanishvili, who has become a symbol of the resistance and fight against the Russian occupation, was buried earlier today in the village of Khurvaleti, in the cemetery of his ancestors which is now under illegal Russian occupation.
Before his death Vanishvili asked his wife not to leave the house and the territory which is partly occupied by Russians.
Data Vanishvili, who died aged 90 on March 19, was buried in the cemetery of Khurvaleti village earlier today. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Back in 2011 Vanishvili woke up to find that a barbed wire fence installed by Russian border guards had cut his house off from the rest of Georgia.
Not only the house but the agricultural land, his wheat fields, which formerly was his means of generating an income, were behind the barbed wire fence.
Many people, including current and former officials, have offered condolences to Vanishvili’s wife since March 19 from the other side of the barbed-wire-fence.
Vanishvili's wife receiving condolences from the other side of the barbed-wife-fence. Photo: RFE/RL.
Only several relatives were allowed to cross the occupation line and attend the burial.
Vanishvili was well-known for his activities against the occupation. He always spoke out loudly about the injustice and was not afraid of the Russian occupiers.
In memory of Data Vanishvili, whose resilience in the face of Russian occupation will remain an inspiration until Russia fulfills its commitments.
— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) March 22, 2021
Photo by Mariam Dolidze pic.twitter.com/kbvZG4sMIk
Back in 2019, when NATO PA President Madeleine Moon visited the occupation line, Data Papa told her the following words:
I am 88-years-old. I was born here, in this house, grew up here and Russians are now telling me that the territory is theirs...My daughter is unable to come and see me and my wife, who is ill now, as occupying forces are threatening her. I am unable to take my wife to the hospital. Others are controlling and harvesting my lands, giving me nothing. I am asking you-what can I do?”
Moon later stated that it was one of the most emotional days in her life.
Last year the occupation forces did not allow Vanishvili to leave his house.
That time he was in critical condition.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and President Salome Zurabishvili have stated that they are ‘deeply saddened’ by the death of Data Vanishvili, a man who has refused to leave his house in the village of Khurvaleti despite the fact the part of the house and his agricultural lands were occupied by Russians.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has stated that he is ‘truly heartbroken’ by the recent death of Data Vanishvili, a man who has refused to leave his house in the village of Khurvaleti despite the fact the part of the house and his agricultural lands were occupied by Russians.Back in 2013 Data Papa woke up to find that a barbed wire fence installed by Russian border guards had cut his house off from the rest of Georgia.
Davit Vanishvili, also known as Data Papa, who has lived for about eight years isolated on the other side of the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) in the Russian-occupied Georgian village of Khurvaleti, has died.
The occupying forces illegally detained a man and his wife living in the village of Khurvaleti near occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region. Malkhaz Vanishvili, 30, is the grandson of Davit Vanishvili, whose house and agricultural lands are divided in two by occupying forces for several years now.
On the initiative of the President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili, Davit Vanishvili, who has become a symbol of the resistance and fight against the Russian occupation, will be awarded the medal of Civil Dedication, announces the presidential administration.